Volume 6 Issue 1, March 2008

Desire for God

by Paramahamsa Hariharananda

Value of Breath

You are the soul. Because of the soul, the breath is in the body. The breath is your strength. If the soul is not there, then you have no breath and no strength; then you are a dead body. Your breath is your brain. Your breath is your energy. But you do not feel that. So how will you perceive the soul? The scriptures say,

atma vid atmaiva bhavati
"Knower of the Self will be the Self."

If you go to your indwelling Self, then you will know God. An obstacle to knowing Him is the anxiety and multitude of thoughts floating in your brain. You must change and purify your thoughts. Keep thoughts of God in your mind. Feel only that the power of God is within you. He is inhaling the breath, and as a result, air is entering in and you are alive. The power of God is present in your whole body, as well as everywhere.

Calmly watch your breath. It will naturally become feeble. Feeble breath will give you the experience of inner sound. Offer your whole body to Him. You are not earning money; but through your breath, the power of God is earning money. So offer everything to Him. Have you seen little puppies? They go to the mother and forcibly try to suck the nipples to get milk. Those who are intelligent, they will forcibly come to the spiritual path and the master in any way they can to drink the milk, the divine nectar. You require that type of desire to reach God.

Desire for God

Good company is essential to help you advance spiritually. Good company includes realized masters and the scriptures. It is a rare opportunity to have such company. Good company will make you good and you will get a stronger desire for inner change. You are to practice what is taught to you by your "good company" the entire day. You may forget, but God does not forget you. He is your best friend, serving you day and night. He gives you appetite and tells you, "I have given you hunger and an appetite." You feed Him. The whole day and night, watch your centers. You are an ordinary person, but you are also God in a human being. Remain in that state, in God state, and you will hear constant divine sound. God is everywhere; and so also the sound is everywhere. You require only the desire to know about the power of God. This is your birthright. You all are the children of God. The same power of God is within you, but you are in delusion. Constantly you are forgetting Him. Because of this, you have troubles. Be like Lahiri Baba and Sanyal Mahasaya, living in the family and yet always having remembrance of God. If you love God, then He will guide and tell you: "Do this. Don't do this." So when you are doing something, you should feel that He is the doer. It will free you from ego and pride.

All your centers are activated by Him, so watch Him in every center. Keep fifty percent attention in that center, and fifty percent attention in the fontanel. He is seeing through your eyes. He is the one talking. So love Him. Without Him, you have nothing. In the scriptures it is said, "It is at your hand." (Matthew 4-17) It means, in every moment, your progress, your liberation depends upon your desire. I am always in the kingdom of God, and I am trying to help you all reach that state. I am watching to see who is not hearing the divine sound and not feeling the divine vibration. I try my utmost to help them. You have come a long distance just to get something new in your life. All day and night, try to prepare your homework, your environment, culture, destiny, and heredity, and know that the power of God is your foundation. Without Him you have nothing.

Ocean of Divine Bliss

Is it possible to ever comprehend the impact that the life of Paramahamsa Hariharananda had, not only on our own spiritual destiny, but on the spiritual evolution of the entire humanity? He was a living example of how someone, through deepest love and determination, could transform his life to become the perfect vehicle for God’s divine love and power. His very life serves as a roadmap for all sincere seekers of Truth. Baba often urged his disciples to “Follow the Master and be a master;” but we may wonder how we can come to a greater understanding of the life of our beloved Gurudev.

The Complete Works is our opportunity to get to know Baba Hariharananda more intimately. We discover that within these works are his thoughts, his insights, his revelations, which were not only revealed through deep states of meditation, but also through his own human experience as a man living on this earth, facing the same obstacles and problems that confront us all on our journey back to the Divine.

The ten volume set includes: 1-3: The Bhagavad Gita in the Light of Kriya Yoga. 4: Kriya Yoga: The Scientific Process of Soul Culture and the Essence of All Religions. 5: Science of Kriya Yoga. 6: Inspiring Stories- A Dialogue Between the Master and the Disciple. 7: Songs of the Mystics: Spiritual Synthesis; Spiritual Guidance in Daily Life. 8: Beauty of Scriptural Wisdom; Reminiscences of the Masters; Selected Essays. 9: Significance of Hindu Worship; Isha Upanishad; Each Human Body is a Bhagavad Gita; Mysticism of Religious Symbols; Spirit of Religions. 10: Humble Hariharananda: Letters and Messages.

One is likely to find within the pages of Ocean of Divine Bliss the answers to many of the complex questions and mysteries of our human and spiritual existence.

Message from Paramahamsa Prajnanananda

Loving and Divine Soul,

God bless you. On the occasion of Vernal Equinox and our spring issue of the newsletter, I send my love and best wishes to you all.

Our newsletter has been well read and appreciated by kriyavans and general readers all over the world. It not only gives the global Kriya news, it also brings the teachings of the great masters with its practical application.

There is one beautiful aspect of our Gurudev Baba Hariharanandaji’s life — it is humility. You may have read in his letters that he used to end with “Humble Hariharananda.” It was not only an expression; he lived and taught with this precept.

Humility is the foundation of spiritual life. A tree with fruits bends down and so also a truly wise person is humble. A cloud with rain bends down and so also a sincere spiritual seeker is humble. Where there is pride, or ego, or stubbornness, one cannot be humble.

Gurudev also emphasized avoiding self importance. He quoted often the song of Tagore:

ami, tomar asana taler matir pare lutiye rabo
“O God, let my place be always at Your feet and even below the carpet. It is a blessing that my body will be smeared with the dust of Yours.”

Let us all cultivate this virtue to be humble. Humility and egolessness ultimately bring steady spiritual progress. Gurudev also said:

yat i amar duat bhare uthe dhane.
tabu amar hayeni jana e katha rahe mane
ami bhuli na yayi vedana payi shayane sapane
“O God, bless me to realize that all material or worldly successes are really insignificant. I should always seek for that real treasure which is spiritual. I should never even forget it in my dream or in sleep.”

Let us remember it always. Please practice Kriya sincerely. Do not waste time in ego, vanity, and pride.

Again, my love and best wishes for all of you.

Meditate and be divine.

Balashram - A School for Children

Part one of a three-part series

In 1999, Orissa (an eastern coastal state of India) experienced its worst cyclone in history, leaving more than 48,000 dead and countless homeless. The economy of this agricultural state was shattered, and the effects were still being felt 5 years later, with many children orphaned and/or living in severe poverty, and deprived of an education.
In an effort to provide for the health and education of these children, Paramahamsa Prajnanananda, in conjunction with the Prajnana Mission, founded Hariharananda Balashram, a school for the poor and needy children of Orissa. The mission of the school is to provide basic education to poor and underprivileged children, irrespective of caste, religion, or gender. Each year, forty children of kindergarten level are enrolled for twelve years of education. 480 children will be living and studying there when the first group of students graduates from tenth standard.

It’s difficult to imagine that almost a year has passed since Baba Hariharananda’s 100th birthday; time flies so quickly. Those who were blessed to attend the Centenary Closing Celebration in Cuttack witnessed a performance by the children of Balashram that brought tears to many eyes. It wasn’t the melodic voices of the children that elicited this response, nor the precision of the drummers; neither was it the flawless exhibition of the intricate stick dance, nor the talented performances of the young actors and actresses in the enactment of Ramayana, although each was exemplary. What moved us was the joy in the children’s faces, and the dedication of the teachers who worked with them to learn each nuance of the performance. We were touched to witness the love and devotion the children eagerly displayed for Prajnananandaji. Our hearts were further stirred by the promising futures that are now possible for each of these children, who only four short years ago were immersed in poverty and ill health, many living in the streets without parents, and with little hope of an education or a fulfilled life.

Baba’s whole life was dedicated to serving others; he gave medicine and service to the sick, food to the hungry, education to the children, courage to the depressed, and spiritual guidance to those who asked. Baba said, “Each human being is the living presence of God. God is serving us with each inhalation. Service to mankind is service to God. To dedicate one’s life for the benefit of others is the real service. Please serve people with love and devotion. This is the real service to God and masters.”

This same divine quality of compassionate service was nurtured in Prajnananandaji by Baba, and now, through his vision, compassion, and leadership, the lives of these children are being shaped and forever changed. There are 160 children, soon to be 200 in April, who were among the most economically disadvantaged in Orissa, and who now have an opportunity for a better life, being exposed to spiritual values and becoming productive members of society. Surely, God and masters are working through Swamiji and blessing us with a living example of how love, compassion, and devotion can change the world and our own lives.

In November, Prajnananandaji led 27 devotees on a trek through the Sinai Desert to raise money for Balashram. This week-long trek, which included sleeping under the stars and climbing Mount Sinai, raised $125,000 for Balashram. Due to its success, plans are now underway for a second trek this summer, which Prajnananandaji will guide in the Himalayas. If you would like to pre-register for this trek to raise money for Balashram, or if you would like more information, please send e-mail to admin@balashram.org.

This is the first of a three-part series about how Balashram is providing hope and helping to shape the lives of hundreds of children. The next newsletter will address poverty in Orissa, a condition that afflicts millions of children in rural India. To learn how you can be a part of this work, or to make a donation, visit Hand in Hand USA’s website at www.handinhandusa.org or Hand-in-Hand Europe at www.handinhand.at.

Drops of Nectar

from Paramahamsa Hariharananda

Q: Which books do you recommend your students to study?

A: Reading too many books is not good. I always encourage, “An ounce of practice is better than tons of theory”. If they are interested, I always encourage people to study the Gita, the Bible or the Quran. I encourage people to study the books of their own religion. In the Gita, I tell my students to study some selected verses. I tell them not to go on reading as one would a story book. Read a little and meditate upon it. Contemplation and meditation are more essential. Reading will not be fruitful if you do not apply the spiritual knowledge in your daily life. For example, in the Bhagavad Gita it is said: amanitvam, “freedom from pride and vanity.” One should always seek to determine whether he is humble or not. Is there pride in my mind and heart? Be very careful and sincere. Apply the scripture and go deep into it

Q: Swamiji, you have the Bible near you and you always encourage people to study the Bible. Do you read it because you are teaching students in the West?

A: No, no. I have been reading the Bible from the age of thirteen or fourteen. I love Jesus and Mother Mary. You can see that in my room there are pictures of Mother Mary and Jesus. Even in my room in the ashram in Puri there was a beautiful picture of Jesus on the cross and Mother Mary at the base of the cross. I love Mother Mary, she is the Divine Mother. I love Jesus, the Son of God. I love the Bible. It is such a spiritual treasure.

Intuition is Our Guide

By Paramahamsa Prajnanananda

From the morning when we get up until we go to bed, we see that the entire creation is full of activities: the sun is rising, the flowers are blooming, the butterflies are flying from one flower to another. Starting from plants, animals and ending with the human beings, we can see that they all are active, but they’re active at different levels. Let us classify all types of activity into a few categories:

Instinct - When the tsunami came hundreds of people were killed, but the animals went more into the land, and no wild animal died. Ordinarily we feel that animals live with instinct.

Impulse - Something happens, and immediately we react. When we hear some news – good or bad – we are overpowered with our impulse, we do not have the immediate check and balance in our behavior.

Emotion - Emotion is a function of the heart, in the form of anger, screaming, shouting or tears, caused by a change in the situation or circumstances, or our lack of control in our own feelings and reaction.

Rationality - Human beings especially are gifted with rationality or discriminative intellect. We learn a lot from our experience, and we use our intellect or rationality to know what is right and what is wrong.

Intuition - Intuition is a special ability that anybody can develop, and many times people think it is a spiritual quality. The question of whether you have developed rationality is easy to verify, because from your day to day experience you can understand it better. But when a question of intuition comes, it is very difficult to know whether it is a trick of your mind or it is really your own intuitive feeling.

We have to live in this world, we have to be active. Sometimes animal nature overpowers us, and we become impulsive or instinctive. When we become human, emotion and rationality come. When we grow more spiritual, intuition comes. One will be more peaceful and happy in daily life when one is more discriminative and intuitive instead of impulsive or emotional.

Let us change our way of thinking, our way of living. Let us pray to God and masters to help us, at the same time to make a determination to live intelligently. We have to live with this body, mind, senses, and intellect. We have to live with day to day happenings. Instead of living with too much impulse, instinct, emotion or reaction, let us use our discriminative faculty. Pray, “O God, bless me. I’ll be making decisions in my life, with your help, what is right. I’ll avoid what is not good. I’ll try to pray and meditate every day to develop my intuition. I’ll try to be a better person, your child, to live a happy life and to make others happy too.”

USA MOTHER CENTER NEWS

Just as our spiritual life is ever new, evolving and dynamic, so is our beloved Mother Center, a sacred treasure for our continued growth and development. The roses, fruit trees, and song birds all reflect the infinite love of Baba for his disciples. When we make good use of these gardens and grounds to deepen our spiritual practice, we take advantage of this unique gift and fulfill the master’s wish.

We are happy to report that the ashram looks as beautiful as ever. The last months have witnessed a bevy of activities, from seva days to special programs, that bring disciples from around the world together as Baba intends.

Paramahamsa Prajnananandaji resided here for an extended stay in Sept/Oct, teaching, initiating and presiding over events. Every evening he expounded on stories from Srimad Bhagavatam. With unique insight into the metaphorical meanings of these stories, he showed how they portray aspects of the spiritual quest of all true seekers, giving us a deeper understanding of our own practice and enriching our sadhana in a practical way. Thank you, Baba, for your loving attention and for making this retreat so memorable.

Now we are anxiously looking forward to the Higher Kriya Intensive Retreat that he will preside over April 24-30. Surely his attention to detail and selfless consideration for the disciples will help us to enhance our sadhana even more. It is our sincere hope that many will attend and benefit.

We were blessed with the presence of long time disciple Yogacharya Suresh Baba, who with Brahmachari Vidyanandaji and Yogacharyas Elizabeth Ma and John Thomas Baba, gave inspiring talks and told personal stories of our beloved master during the mahasamadhi commemoration.

To continue with Baba’s traditional wish, the Mother Center was beautifully decorated, complete with manger scene, Christmas tree, and colored lights, to commemorate the birth of Lord Jesus. In the Holy Days program, stories of Jesus and His teachings were elaborated on by the acharyas, and many came to enjoy prasad. The New Year was celebrated with deep meditations throughout the night.

With the extended stay of Brahmachari Vidyanandaji, the dedicated, ceaseless efforts of the residents, and the constant presence of local acharyas Elizabeth Ma and John Thomas Baba, the Mother Center has been able to increase its local teaching and initiation activities as well as programs. This new year of 2008 promises to be particularly blessed. With the grace of God and masters, the Mother Center plans to offer more opportunities for sustained Kriya practice by hosting more retreats than in previous years. So come, take advantage of this wonderful treasure which is the ashram of and for all of us. Participate as best you can and grow towards God under the loving hand and care of Gurudev.

USA CENTERS ACTIVITIES

Austin, TX
The 2007 Silent Retreat took place Nov. 8-11 at the John Knox Camp in Wimberly, the site of the first Silent Retreat in 1998. It was a lovely and peaceful opportunity for diving deep into communion with God and masters under the gentle guidance of Yogacharya Durga Ma and Br. Vidyanandaji. This holiday season we raised $6000 for Hand in Hand USA with a jewelry sale to help Balashram brighten lives. We are blessed to have an initiation program Mar. 7-9, and are excited to host Yogacharya Suresh Baba again, and to be meeting Yogacharya David Strassner. Yogarcharyas Elizabeth Tackenberg and John Thomas Lopategui will come for our Kriya Meditation Intensive June 13-15. And, blessing of all blessings, Paramahamsa Prajnanananda and Srinidi Baba will join us at the 2008 Texas Silent Retreat Oct. 16-19.

Baltimore / Washington DC
The 3-day program in October was divine! Br. Vidyananda gave a public lecture in the Hindu Temple, in the presence of the recently established Lord Jagannath Deity trio. The temple priest welcomed him with traditional aarati and mantras, followed by bhajans by local Jagannath devotees. Vidyanandaji gave a beautiful discourse on "Universal Consciousness of Jagannath Culture and Kriya Yoga". Many seekers came for initiation, detailed instructions, guided meditations and classes. Everybody loved Br. Vidyanandaji and we are all eagerly awaiting his return in 2008.

Charlotte, NC
Charlotte hosted its 3rd program Aug. 10-13 with Br. Vidyanandaji, who gave an insightful, inspiring, and heartfelt public talk on “Self Discovery Through Kriya Yoga”. The public program opened with devotional songs sung by disciples, and concluded with a prayer and dinner. New initiates came from five different states! Vidyanandaji conducted guided meditations and gave short talks on spirituality, practical advice, and techniques on overcoming hurdles in the spiritual path. He answered questions and generated tremendous love among kriyavans here. Kriyavans here have started making regular contributions to support Kriya Yoga Institute, cultivating a discipline of regular giving.

Cleveland, OH
Our midwest retreat "The Cosmic Sound OM" was held in September at the Loyola of Lakes Retreat Center, conducted by Br. Vidyananda and Yogacharyas Bhadrayu Pandya and Durga Chunduri. The participants enjoyed the peaceful surroundings and the deep meditations. We are planning a fundraising event for Hand in Hand in the coming months, and in March, Yogacharyas Elizabeth Tackenberg and Durga Chunduri will conduct our annual program.

Denver, CO
We were blessed to have Yogacharyas Durga Ma and Srinidhi Baba conduct a program Oct. 25-28. Durga Ma poured out her love to the initiates, guiding them deeper into meditation. She quoted verses from the Bhagavad Gita and the Bible, capturing their essence for adoption in our daily life. We are now holding initiations each month. Our retreat will take place May 2-4, with Paramahamsa Prajnananandaji, Br. Vidyanandaji and Yogacharya Srinidhi Baba.

Los Angeles, CA
We were excited to inaugurate our new center with a Jan. 18 program with Yogacharyas Bhadrayu Pandya and Richard Peterson, with a public lecture, initiations and a program at the home of Doctors Shiela Kar and Uttum Sinha. Since the program, weekly meditations are being held at the home of Richard and Judy Peterson. We look forward to this new opportunity to serve Baba and develop this new center for kriyavans in the Los Angeles area.

Memphis, TN
We express our heartfelt thanks to the divine acharyas for the enormous help they give us on our spiritual path. We had our first program in January 2007 with Br. Vidyanandaji, who anwered many questions, guided us, and shared his spiritual wisdom. We had a wonderful program in August with Yogacharya Bhadrayu Baba - we felt the rays of grace through his divine company. We also had a soul elevating program in January 2008 with Br.Vidyananda and Richard Baba. Vidyanandaji gave a class on the benefits of each Kriya Yoga technique, which was truly inspiring.

New York City, NY
Nov. 4-6 our former beloved center leader Elizabeth Tackenberg, along with our own John Williams, guided a 3-day program. In December we celebrated Baba’s mahasamadhi with meditation and a video presentation. Baba’s longtime disciples spoke reverently of their time with our beloved master. For Christmas, Yogachara John Williams and some of our members had the beautiful experience of serving at a homeless shelter. We hope to do more of the same during the coming year, and we eagerly anticipate upcoming programs and retreats.

Phoenix, AZ
We were blessed with many new initiates at our November program with Br. Vidyananda and Yogacharya David Strassner. We all were deeply touched by the wisdom and caring of our teachers and the divine grace of the masters. We added a large picture of Baba Hariharananda to our center, and now his sweet love, gentleness and guidance feel even stronger. We are reading from Ocean of Divine Bliss before group meditation, and are using it for study on monthly-teleconference Sundays. Baba's gift to us is deeply appreciated and we feel our love for him growing even stronger. We are looking forward to our April 11-13 initiation and weekend workshop with Yogacharya Durga Ma.

Rochester, NY
We had our 2nd initiation program of 2007 on Aug. 17-19 with Yogacharya Durga Ma. She refreshed us on the techniques, gave discourses, and showed an inspiring Hand-in-Hand video. We made a donation to Hand-in-Hand from the collections made during the last 10 months. We are blessed and thrilled that our center leader David Strassner is now a yogacharya. He has divinely followed the path of Baba Hariharananda for more than 20 years, and his loving and gentle approach will bring guidance to many kriyavans.

Santa Barbara, CA
Southern California is alive with Kriya Yoga activity. We are preparing for a residential retreat with Paramahamsa Prajnanananda May 30 - June 1. We are returning to a beautiful site steeped in a tradition of education, introspection and yoga. An evening satsang will be held in Los Angeles for students who are unable to attend the full retreat. Yogacharya Suresh Baba will conduct a program in late October so we may share Kriya Yoga with our community.

Briefs From Other Centers
Albuquerque, NM held a program Oct. 19-21 with Yogacharyas Suresh Baba and Srinidhi Baba. Each initiated new seekers and gave beautiful discourses. Yogacharya John Williams will conduct a program Oct. 24-26, 2008.

Chicago, IL will welcome beloved Paramahamsa Prajnananandaji for the Midwest Retreat from June 5 - 8. Yogacharya Durga Ma continues to guide weekly group meditations on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays.

Cincinnati, OH celebrated both Paramahamsa Prajnananandaji's birthday and Diwali with guided meditation followed by a nice lunch. We are eagerly awaiting Br. Vidyanandaji's program May 16-18.

Dallas, TX has had two blissful programs at its new location: Oct. 12-14 with Yogacharyas John Thomas Baba and Durga Ma, and Feb 8-10 with Br.Vidyanandaji and Yogacharya Elizabeth Ma. Each included a public lecture, initiations, technique instructions and spiritual discourses.

Fort Wayne, IN held a program Sept. 7-9 with Br.Vidyanandaji and Bhadrayu Baba, including lectures and practice of Kriya techniques. Vidyanandaji gave discourses on "Law of Karma" and "Food Suitable for Spiritual Practice", which were greatly appreciated by all who attended.

Kansas City, KS kriyavans had a wonderful Kriya program with Brahmachari Vidyanandaji in November 2007, and they eagerly await their July 2008 program with Swami Samarpananandaji and Yogacharya Srinidhi Baba.

KRIYA YOGA WORLDWIDE NEWS

Sterksel, Holland Ashram

This year we will host twelve seminars in four languages: Dutch, German, English and French. We are very pleased that Paramahamsa Prajnananada will be in Sterksel June 20-29 for an English language program. And we are fortunate that the new Yogacharyas Claudia Cremers and Petra Helwig from Holland are guiding classes and initiating new seekers here.

With the help of many volunteers and professional roofers, we recently finished the renovation of the roof, which is made of rubber and is less harmful to the environment.

Vienna, Tattendorf Ashram

This year there will be three beautiful programs under the loving guidance of our beloved Paramahamsa Baba Prajnananandaji, Rajarshi Peter van Breukelen and Swami Mangalanandaji, and with many yogacharyas.

For the first time in Kriya Yoga history, a retreat on higher Kriyas will take place in the Tattendorf Ashram, April 17-20. It is a rare opportunity for all advanced kriyavans to learn and deepen their practice of the higher Kriyas.

Another unique retreat will be held May 12-19 in Camaldoli, near Assisi, Italy, in an old monastery. In addition to intensive practice of Kriya Yoga, including higher Kriya classes, participants will have an opportunity to visit La Verna and Assisi, the places of residence of St. Francis.

The highlight of the year will be the 10th Foundation Day of Tattendorf Ashram, with an eleven - day program September 5-15. Since our beloved Gurudev Baba Hariharanandaji established this beautiful ashram in 1998, it has been a place for meditation and spiritual growth of his children. The celebration of this auspicious day of foundation will be on the 6th of September, with a sacred fire ceremony conducted by Paramahamsa Baba Prajnananandaji.

Disciples and true spiritual seekers from all over Europe and other parts of the world are always welcome. Support is also welcome and very much needed for renovation of the windows and outside doors of our divine ashram.

South America Centers

Last October, the São Paulo center had the joy of receiving beloved Br. Vidyananda Baba and Yogacharya Bhadrayu Pandya Baba on their first visit to Brazil. They conducted a wonderful program, including an opening lecture for the general public, over one hundred new initiations, and a seminar with 80 kriyavans. We received a flood of e-mails afterwards from people who were very thankful for the opportunity of experiencing God through the meditation practices. Once more, we were touched by our colleagues coming from distant corners of our country in search of the teachings of beloved Baba Hariharananda.

Colombia had programs in three different cities, and a retreat and initiation programs which were well attended. Kriyavans in Colombia all appreciate Br. Vidyanandaji learning Spanish to help them in their meditation practice.

Rio de Janeiro will have its first ever Kriya program Mar. 6-9 with Br. Vidyanandají and Yogacharya Bhadrayu Pandya. In São Paulo, Vidyanandaji and Bhadrayu Baba are conducting new initiations and a retreat Mar. 12-16 in a monastery out of town. The Brasilia program will take place Mar. 20-22, also under the direction of Vidyanandaji and Bhadrayu Baba.

India Activities

The four-month 4th Residential Brahmachari Training Course has been a most inspiring and uplifting course for practitioners of Kriya Yoga. Paramahamsa Prajnananandaji generally teaches four hours a day on the Bhagavad Gita and its relevance to Kriya Yoga and daily life. He gives practical instructions about how we can advance spiritually.

The anniversary of Gurudev's mahasamadhi, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day were celebrated with meditation, discourses, and other activities at the Gurukulam. Many attended the 9th Annual Kriya Yoga International Seminar presided over by Prajnananandaji along with many spiritual dignitaries. All were thrilled with the performances of the Balashram children, who are so talented. A group of Ohio physicians, along with physicians, pharmacists, volunteers, and translators from India, held an 8-day medical yatra (health camp) at 16 villages, serving 12,000 people in need.

Hand in Hand (HIH) Activities

Last July, HIH organized its first-ever walk-a-thon, with about 40 participants raising a total of around $15,000. Local grocers energized participants with drinks and nutrition bars during the walk, and a light brunch was lovingly served by volunteers afterward. The event was so well received that HIH enthusiastically recommends local walk-a-thons as a way for other Kriya Yoga centers to support HIH projects.
In November, volunteers from the Detroit Kriya Yoga Center and HIH members from Detroit arranged a Classical Odissi Dance benefit program in Beverly Hills, Michigan. The solo program was performed by Ms. Sonali Mishra, an accomplished professional Odissi Dancer from New York. A lovely dinner, sponsored by a well known Indian restaurant, was served after the program. The benefit program raised an amazing $15,000 dollars to support HIH projects.

Two additional fundraising dinners are being held this month to benefit charities in India. The Kriya Yoga Center of Charlotte is hosting a dinner March 14, and a benefit is being held March 22 at a Chicago Holiday Inn. The Chicago event will include a lovely dinner followed by an HIH presentation, refreshments, and a musical performance by Orchestra Saregama, conducted by Hitesh Master.